Don't make me kick your butt, Mumbles. Florida's ballot was completely insane this year. The legislature put through 11 amendments. At 1am, people in Miami-Dade (heavily Democratic) were still voting. Even if you knew exactly what you wanted to do, it was a 10-15 minute process to vote. My understanding is that they are still counting the mail-in ballots. They have to verify that the voter was registered & that they did not vote in person.

There were record numbers of mail-in ballots because the legislature (sense a theme?) decided to cut back on early voting. (Early voting in very popular.) There is also a law limiting the number of early voting sites. In my county, the most densely populated county in the state, there were three sites. The governor refused to add extra days when the lines grew to be several hours long. The solution for many people was to go to their supervisor of elections office, ask for a mail ballot, fill it in on the spot, and turn it in immediately.

Oh, our chief of elections is a former lobbyist for the beer industry because that makes you an expert in election law.

Don't make me kick your butt, Mumbles. Florida's ballot was completely insane this year. The legislature put through 11 amendments. At 1am, people in Miami-Dade (heavily Democratic) were still voting. Even if you knew exactly what you wanted to do, it was a 10-15 minute process to vote. My understanding is that they are still counting the mail-in ballots. They have to verify that the voter was registered & that they did not vote in person.

There were record numbers of mail-in ballots because the legislature (sense a theme?) decided to cut back on early voting. (Early voting in very popular.) There is also a law limiting the number of early voting sites. In my county, the most densely populated county in the state, there were three sites. The governor refused to add extra days when the lines grew to be several hours long. The solution for many people was to go to their supervisor of elections office, ask for a mail ballot, fill it in on the spot, and turn it in immediately.

Oh, our chief of elections is a former lobbyist for the beer industry because that makes you an expert in election law.

Mumbles has to sit in the corner because he's been a naughty, naughty boy.

Plus, all of the above are Republicans.

_________________A whole lot of access and privilege goes into being sanctimonious pricks J-DubDessert is currently a big bowl of sanctimonious, passive aggressive vegan enduced boak. FezzaYou people are way less funny than Pandacookie. Sucks to be you.-interrobang?!

Washington's gubernatorial race is finally called. The Republican candidate made his concession call this afternoon. Washington hasn't elected a Republican governor since 1980, but I really didn't think anyone had much of a chance of beating Rob McKenna. Guess I was wrong.

I think laughing at bright orange bad spray tans is fair game. That's not body snarking--that is questioning his dubious judgement. Just like when Kerry tried to cover one up with a wind surfing photo op. But, I'm a bisque.

_________________"This is the creepiest post ever if you don't know who Molly is." -Fee"a vegan death match sounds like something where we all end up hugging." -LisaPunk

Whoa! If you go to Romney's Facebook page and refresh after a few seconds, you can watch him lose likes. The opposite is true of Obama.

that's just weird. he's not a different politician than he was a week ago. are people, like, embarrassed to be seen with him now that he's lost?

Well, some of his "supporters" said awful things about him during the primaries, especially about his Mormonism. So, now they are back to their original positions. I've seen this a lot from the Tea Party and hard core religious voters. Many of them are pointing fingers now saying that if a true conservative had been nominated, Obama wouldn't have run.

Heck, this was even true of Santorum, because he is Catholic.

Basically, the GOP is two distinct halves that hate each other but air kiss and shake hands in public.

_________________"This is the creepiest post ever if you don't know who Molly is." -Fee"a vegan death match sounds like something where we all end up hugging." -LisaPunk

_________________A whole lot of access and privilege goes into being sanctimonious pricks J-DubDessert is currently a big bowl of sanctimonious, passive aggressive vegan enduced boak. FezzaYou people are way less funny than Pandacookie. Sucks to be you.-interrobang?!

With 78% of the ballots counted, Ref 74's lead is now insurmountable! Washington joins Maine and Maryland as the first states to grant marriage equality at the ballot box! Whee!! Let the weddings begin!

This has affected me emotionally much more strongly than I thought it would. The other night, darling girl said to me, "More and more people are accepting us," and I started bawling like a baby. I always said I don't care what people think and we don't need anybody's approval, and that's true, but ... it sure feels nice. Kind of overwhelming.

With 78% of the ballots counted, Ref 74's lead is now insurmountable! Washington joins Maine and Maryland as the first states to grant marriage equality at the ballot box! Whee!! Let the weddings begin!

This has affected me emotionally much more strongly than I thought it would. The other night, darling girl said to me, "More and more people are accepting us," and I started bawling like a baby. I always said I don't care what people think and we don't need anybody's approval, and that's true, but ... it sure feels nice. Kind of overwhelming.

I know what you mean. I have issues with the emphasis on marriage equality because there are so many other issues affecting queer people, but shiitake, I get so emotional about it too! When Obama specifically mentioned gay people in his victory speech, I was in a bar and I almost cried and said to the two friends I was with (both also queer), THE PRESIDENT JUST MENTIONED US. LIKE WE'RE PART OF AMERICA. shiitake is just changing so fast all the time.

_________________"No one with hair so soft and glossy could ever be bad at anything." - Tofulish

When Obama specifically mentioned gay people in his victory speech, I was in a bar and I almost cried and said to the two friends I was with (both also queer), THE PRESIDENT JUST MENTIONED US. LIKE WE'RE PART OF AMERICA. shiitake is just changing so fast all the time.

Wow, that really brought home to me how hard it is to be marginalized. ::tearing up:: I hope that we can keep the attention and focus on moving this country to being more accepting and tolerant and transparent.

_________________My oven is bigger on the inside, and it produces lots of wibbly wobbly, cake wakey... stuff. - The PoopieB.

When Obama specifically mentioned gay people in his victory speech, I was in a bar and I almost cried and said to the two friends I was with (both also queer), THE PRESIDENT JUST MENTIONED US. LIKE WE'RE PART OF AMERICA. shiitake is just changing so fast all the time.

::tearing up::

Totally. I feel like the ball is rolling now and things are changing. Of course there will be setbacks but thinking of how much has changed since I was a teenager, in this country and within my own life, it gives me hope - which is lot considering my usual pessimism about the human species.

I know what you mean. I have issues with the emphasis on marriage equality because there are so many other issues affecting queer people, but shiitake, I get so emotional about it too! When Obama specifically mentioned gay people in his victory speech, I was in a bar and I almost cried and said to the two friends I was with (both also queer), THE PRESIDENT JUST MENTIONED US. LIKE WE'RE PART OF AMERICA. shiitake is just changing so fast all the time.

Aw, you gave me cold chills! I have a tendency to tear up about marriage equality, too...which is funny because I'm totally not a romantic by any stretch of the imagination. I know there are so many issues out there, but my hope is that once that one is worked out, others will begin to follow.

I know what you mean. I have issues with the emphasis on marriage equality because there are so many other issues affecting queer people, but shiitake, I get so emotional about it too! When Obama specifically mentioned gay people in his victory speech, I was in a bar and I almost cried and said to the two friends I was with (both also queer), THE PRESIDENT JUST MENTIONED US. LIKE WE'RE PART OF AMERICA. shiitake is just changing so fast all the time.

I heard that speech and went, "OH HELLS YEAH!" Earlier in the year, when the President and Vice President came out in favor of marriage equality, I was stunned. These guys are savvy politicians. They're on top of the polls, and they know how to read the electorate. I knew the demographics were shifting in our favor, but for them to voice unequivocal support in an election year meant that the demographics had shifted enough that it was now politically safe to do so. VERY kewl.

As far as the importance of marriage equality as an issue, I guess you don't get to pick where the battle lines will be drawn. It seems to be the front line in the civil rights war. That's where the enemy camp positioned their troops, so that's where we have to break through. Putting them to rout there may not end the war, but it will be a decisive defeat for them, and one they will never recover from.

Whoa! If you go to Romney's Facebook page and refresh after a few seconds, you can watch him lose likes. The opposite is true of Obama.

that's just weird. he's not a different politician than he was a week ago. are people, like, embarrassed to be seen with him now that he's lost?

So weird story: My neighbors (who are first generation immigrants -- relevant here because maybe that colors their perception of the electoral process) had Romney/Ryan signs up for a couple of weeks, maybe, before the election. When I went for a run the day after the election, I noticed they had an Onama sign.

I thought that probably said something ........ Interesting? about a US elections. Not sure what, though.